Snellville mayor prevails in fight for legal fees

Gwinnett County Superior Court Judge Warren Davis ruled Monday to award Snellville Mayor Kelly Kautz close to $88,000 in attorney fees to be paid by the city. The judge ruled the mayor was entitled to payment of her legal fees just as the city had paid for council members and the city’s attorney fees. Kautz had sought repayment of more than $220,000 in attorney’s fees for her three-member legal team.

The dispute over fees is the result of lawsuits filed against the city council, city manager and city attorney over what powers the city charter provided the mayor regarding hiring and firing of employees. Normally, only those prevailing in legal action receive reimbursement for attorney fees. Since the lawsuit ended in a settlement, city officials felt the mayor should pay her own fees.